An Oil carrier with a capacity of 308,000 tons, amounting to approximately 2.275 million oil barrels is the world’s first intelligent mega tanker, a VLCC, which has been installed with an intelligent operating system and is the first smart carrier in the world.
China currently stands as the fourth-largest oil producer in the world, and with the petroleum industry rapidly increasing, it’s easy to see why China has invested in upgrades of marine technology, as demand to supply oil to foreign countries has risen quickly. The new VLCC carrier, which some have nicknamed, “The Journey,” stands 55 meters high, 300 meters long, roughly the size of three mega football fields.
The oil tanker forms a part of the fleet, owned by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry, which forms part of China Shipbuilding Association. With features such as auto-pilot navigation, intelligent cargo management, and integrated efficiency management, the tanker is a breakthrough in technological developments for ships, which includes increased maritime safety, energy conservation, and emission reduction. The tanker has officially completed all mandatory testing and is set to start the course by 2020.
China has overtaken the US in oil imports, with an astounding 6.7 million barrels a day arriving on China’s coast. China became one of the primary importers for oil, is when growth and demand exceeded capacity, as floods would destroy China’s oil fields, thus creating the need for China to import oil to compensate for the loss. Currently, the number of container units in Chinese ports, amount to more than 150 million, creating a sense of safety for any oil crises that might occur in the future.
